Flexibility

Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds was scheduled to arrive tomorrow just before noontime. Lunch out, a visit at Crane with a favorite professor, then a return to the homestead with a houseful of family, food, and music have all been crossed off our calendar.

Old Man Winter flexed his muscles, causing airlines to cancel flights which promised to deliver this very special man to Northern NY. No alternatives were found which would get him "in and out" quickly and efficiently. (He has a tight schedule with commitments hemming him in on the other side.)

So Old Man Winter flexes, and we learn flexibility. Some days I'm eager for school, some days I'm not. Busy schedules will allow a trip to be planned for April, but no sooner.

*sigh* I love winter and it's unpredictability -- usually...

Ecc. 3 Continued

A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away. Ecc. 3:6 NASB

My experience has been this: throwing away is generally not pleasant.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a "get rid of" gal from way back. I often enjoy sorting and throwing. I read Anne Ortlund's book, Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman, quite some time ago and was encouraged to "eliminate and concentrate". I've never looked back.

For instance -- one of my all time favorite birthday gifts was a box of clear plastic garbage bags and the guarantee that the following Saturday a dump truck would arrive at my house to collect all the garbage I could muster. I attacked, with vigor, attics and barns and closets. Several trips to the dump with nearly 2,000 lbs. of "excess stuff" made me one ecstatic woman!

Still, throwing out calls for ruthlessness. It is not accomplished without some agonizing. After all, the disposal of items rarely makes everyone happy. If it wasn't me wrestling with parting ways with something, someone else was. Stuff. It can claim our hearts.

So can relationships. Yup, relationships. Sometimes we need to let go of certain people and friendships. We have limited time and energy which means careful use of such commodities. Some our "people investment" may not be yielding Kingdom fruit. We need to be fruit inspectors, even in our relationships. Agonizing, isn't it?

A fresh challenge to review belongings and investments is always good. If I am honest about it all, I find out quickly that it is hard. Nonetheless, it is good. Am I attached to this thing, this relationship? If Jesus asked me to walk away today, would I do so? Can I leave it all behind: parents, houses, family, stuff?

Nothing has claim on my heart like He does. The rest is secondary. He is my all in all. Now to live like it.

His Will

It trumps all. It's what really matters when all else is said and done. It is the big question for those who are true Kingdom seekers. It is the thing that will be declared when life is finished, the race is over: did you yield to His will?

Yesterday I heard a man read these words: "I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH."

That is a God quote. His will is plainly declared. We can be a part of that if we understand that His goal and purpose is to build. Not much else matters. Are we here or there? Fulfilling our dreams or missing out? Scratching that itch or focusing on Him? The thing that really matters is accomplishing His purpose for our lives. And it is a glorious purpose, to be sure.

May His will be done in our lives. Let Your will be done in mine. Hear our cry, Oh Lord. Take us, purge us, change us, mold us -- do what You need to do. But USE us to build Your church, Oh, Lord!

Nutrition For The Whole Man

Cotton candy. Potato chips. Cheeze Doodles. Soda pop.

A diet of such things ruins an appetite for the good stuff. Did you know that? The more you eat that stuff on a regular basis the more you crave it. And nutritional foods with benefits not only don't matter, they just plain don't appeal.

TV shows. Movies. Video games. Facebook apps.

A diet of such things ruins an appetite for the good stuff as well. The beneficial activities no longer appeal. Who wants to read a book when they can veg in front of the TV? And why go out to a concert or get up and clean when snuggling under a blanket with that favorite DVD is available? So this morning we collectively agreed that perhaps we have been overly indulgent. Quite overly indulgent. So no TV, movies, video games were viewed tonight. And guess what? Bedrooms were cleaned, girls knitted scarves and wrote songs on guitars and made brownies and did laundry and finished some recording projects.

Hooray for nutritional food! Hooray for beneficial activities! They keep the body, soul, and spirit healthy.

For Danica

My oldest daughter is hoping to move home early this spring. Right down the road. Walking distance. Shared meals, quick pick ups for spontaneous shopping trips, kids coming to play with Uncle Merrick and other cousins. Brainstorming decorating schemes, experimenting with menus, piano lessons for a youngest brother. Too much fun is in store!

A sister of hers also lives down the street. Taking turns babysitting, attending mothers' meetings together, football games on Sunday afternoons, comparing parenting stories and theories, baking cookies to share, shopping for Christmas in Syracuse. More fun!

Sister number three lives in a nearby town. Sewing parties, decorating cookies, piano accompaniment for Broadway show tunes. Husbands who talk about clothes, business, and the Patriots. Gourmet food and dinner out together. Still more fun!

Several sisters and brothers still reside at 1942. Watching movies together, invading a new house in search of homemade pizza and great coffee, jamming around the piano. Spoiling two nephews, babysitting and learning to sew, chats about doctrine and computer geek stuff. Girl's Bible studies, boys' debates. And more fun besides!

Hooray for fun changes -- I'll take all the fun life affords!